Bell.



" No. 690,034. l Patented nec. 3|, mol.

E. n. ocKwELL. y

BELL.

(Application led May 15,1901.)

(No Model.)

Unteren Statics Arent OFFICE.

EDWARD D. ROCKVELL, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO TI-IE LIBERTY BELL COMPANY, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TION OF CONNECTICUT.

BELL.

SEECIFICATON- forming,- gcart o`-1letters Patent No.. 690,034, dated December 31, 1901. Application filed May l5, 1901. Serial No- 60,386- (No model.)

To all tlf/wm zit 71u03/ concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD D. RooKWELL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bells, of which the following is a full, clear, and eXact description, whereby any one skilled in the art can make and use the same.

My invention relates to the striker-operating mechanism in bells in which a rotary member is employed as a part of the mechanism; and my object is to provide animproved coupling means or clutch whereby the movement of one part may be translated into a free rotary movement of the other part.

Referring to the drawings, forming part hereof, Figure l is an edge View of a bicyclebell embodying my invention with parts cut in section to show construction. Fig. 2 is a view in plan of the frame and part of the striker-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a detail view, on enlarged scale, of part of the spindie and the clutch mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan of the clutch on enlarged scale. Fig. 5 isa detailoutline view of a plunger-operated bell embodying a modified form of free pawl. Fig. G is a detail edge View of the clutch-carrier plate and pawl, shown as separated.

In a class of bellsin which the gong is caused to sound by contact with it of a striker caused by the rotation of the coacting parts or either of them there is a clutch device interposed in the operating mechanism, and this usually includes a ratchet-wheel and a spring-pawl. The accompanying drawings illustrate a bell of this class in which my invention is embodied in a preferred form, and in such drawings the letter o. denotes the frame of the bell, b a bracket or like means for attaching the bell in position for use, and c the gong supported by the frame.

In the style of bell shown there is a rotary spindle d, located in bearings d in the frame and carrying a ratchet-Wheel e fast to it. On

this spindle d, and preferably between the side of the ratchet-wheel e and the frame a, a paWl-carrier f is located. This carrier is mounted to turn or rotate freely on the spindie and is arranged to be driven by suitable mechanism. The form of pawl-carrier shown includes a cog wheel or pinion g and a disk g', on which a free pawl h is mounted, so as to turn with the carrier in its rotary movement, but is free to swing or move laterally, so as to throw a tooth 7L on the pawl into or permit it to be moved out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel. The pawl z may be said to revolve about the ratchetwheel, while having a free lateral play in the plane of revolution toward and from the aXis of the spindle on which the ratchet-wheel is mounted.

There is no spring orequivalent device used in connection with the paWl h, which is supported on the carrier and has a free movement in a plane which lies across the axis of the spindle, the path of movement being limited by any suitable means to such a length as will permit of the ready engagement and disengagement of the tooth of the pawl 7L with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel e.

In Figs. l to 4 the pawl is of semicircular or horseshoe form, pivoted at its center on the pivot f on the pawl-carrierf, with one arm lying on each side in the plane of the ratchet- Wheel and partly embracing it. This construction enables the inner surface of the disengaged arm of the pawl to act as a stop by striking against the periphery of the ratchetteeth, and thus limit the extent of the outward or disengaging movement of the arm of the pawl carrying the-tooth 7i. It is obvious that other forms of stop may be used to accomplish this purpose, and my invention contemplates their use.

The spindle d is rotated by any convenient means, as a lever t', pivoted to the frame and having a rack-arm Qwth teeth engaging those of the pinion on the carrierf, so that a reciprocating movement of the rack-arm will 1'0- tate the carrier. This movement of the lever and its arm may be caused by power applied to a finger-piece i2 or other lever-moving device.

On each end of the spindle d a gong c is secured, with the edges facing inward and near the frame, and strikers or hammers t are borne on the ends of flexible arms 7c', fast on IOO and turning with the spindle. The path of revolution of the hammers carries them along the eccentric surface of the trip Z, which is fast to the frame, and puts the spring-arm under tension by such contact, thus causing the hammer to be thrown outward as it recoils from contact with the trip to sound the bell.

The bell shown in Figs. 1 to 4 is adapted for use on a bicycle and that shown in Figs. 5 and 6 for an automobile. In the latter the frame m has a bracket m','adapted to be fastened, as by screws, to the bottom of the vehicle, and a plunger n, held vertically and projecting above the floor of the vehicle, forms the lever-operating device for sounding the bell. rIhe arrangement of lever, spindle, gongs, and operating mechanism in this latter bell is substantially the same as in the bell first described. The free pawl o, however, is circular in form and completely surrounds the ratchet-wheelp, a tooth o' projecting inward from the pawl toward the ratchetteeth and forming the engaging means. pawl o is supported on a pin o2 on the carrier o3, lying somewhat loosely in a socket 04 in the pawl, and a pin o5 on the latter projectf ing into a socket o6 in the carrier forms the stop device, which limits the lateral movement of the pawl.

In the operation of my improved clutch a quick rotary movement imparted to the carrier at once throws the pawl into engagement with the ratchet-wheel and drives it and the spindle, the rotary movement continuing undisturbed under the inertia imparted, while the carrier revolves in a reverse direction as the rack-arm of the lever reverses its direction of movement, as under the retractile force of a spring s, which has been tensioned by the first movement of the lever. The direct movement of the lever may be repeated as often and as quickly as desired, and the pawl will clutch the ratchet in each instance. In fact, it has been found by experiment that the ratchet cannot be caused to run away from the engaging action of the pawl, however fast the rotary movement of the parts may be.

`By my invention a simple, durable, efficient, and direct-acting clutch of a few number of parts is provided, and it is notJ limited to the precise forms shown but its use in the various obvious forms of embodiment of the idea is contemplated as within my invention.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination in a bell mechanism, a

This

rotary member, a ratchet-Wheel fast on said rotary member, a pawl-carrier mounted in operative relation to the ratchet-wheel, a free pawl supported on and revolving with the carrier, a gong, a striker, and-means for operating the striking mechanism.

2. In combination in a bell mechanism, a rotary striker member, a ratchet-wheel fast on said member, a pawl-carrier mounted in operative relation to the ratchet-wheel, a free pawl supported on and revolving with the carrier, a stop device to limit the swinging movement of the pawlvaway from the ratchet- Wheel, a gong, a striker, and means-for operating the striking mechanism.

3. In combination in a bell, a frame, a rotary spindle mounted on the frame, a gong, a ratchet-wheel fast on the spindle, a pawlcarrier rotary on the spindle, a free pawl borne by the carrier and movable toward and from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, means for actuating the pawl-carrierl in both directions of rotation, and means for sounding the gong.

4. In combination in abell, a frame, a trip device secured to the frame, a rotary spindle mounted in the frame, a gong fast to the spindle, a ratchet-Wheel fast on the spindle, a pawl-carrier rotary on the spindle, a ringshaped free pawl borne by the carrier and surrounding the ratchet-Wheel and movable toward and from the teeth of said ratchetwheel, strikers supported on flexible strikerarms secured to the spindle, means for actuating the pawl carrier, and revolving the striker-carrying spindle.

5. In combination in a bell mechanism, a rotary member, a pawl-carrier mounted in operative relation to the rotary member, a free pawl supported on and revolving with the carrier, means for engaging the free pawl with the rotary member in one direction of revolution thereof, and means for actuating the pawl-carrier.

6. In combination in a bell mechanism, a stationary frame, a trip device mounted on the frame, a shaft mounted to rotate with the frame, hammers secured to the shaft and adapted to engage the trip, a gong secured to the shaft, a ratchet-wheel fast on the shaft, a pawl-carrier mounted in operative relation to the ratchet-Wheel, a free pawl supported on and revolving with the carrier, and means for operating the striking mechanism.

EDWARD D. ROCKWELL.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. JENKINS, ERMA P. COFFRIN.

ICO 

